Mrs Sandra Udeike, the Chairperson, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Headquarters chapel, has called on government at all levels to provide adequate security to schools to ensure the safety of students.
Udeike made the called in her welcome address at the 2021 Press Week of the union in the chapel on Friday in Abuja.
She said the negative impact of COVID-19 was enormous.
She, however, noted insecurity had taken worrisome dimensions, especially as “our innocent children are now being kidnapped from schools.”
Udeike said whatever affected children also affected their parents, adding that when children were kidnapped, parent experience sleepless nights.
“Before, we used to hear about rich and wealthy people in the society being kidnapped and ransom demanded by the kidnapper, but these days, it is no longer so.
” Our innocent children are being kidnapped and kept in a place for a long time. The psychological impact of being kidnapped is enough to kill the victim. The school children need protection.
“I therefore, want to use this opportunity to call on government at all levels, to take issues of safety in schools very seriously. I urge them to provide adequate security in all schools in the country.
“I also advise parents to be deliberate in checking properly before chosing schools for their wards.
“The focus for our last year’s Press Week was also on insecurity, that is to emphasise the need for the menace to be urgently addressed,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event attracted other unions and relevant stakeholders.
The high points of the event was the presentations of awards of excellence to Emmanuel Ogbeche, the Chairman, NUJ FCT Council, Mr Terver Akase, the Chief Prress Secretary to the Governor of Benue and many others.
Udeike said, “let me reemphasise that these awards are not from FRCN Management to the staff, but from NUJ leadership to it’s members, hence, beneficiaries must be active members.”(NAN)
